One Last Goodbye
by Kate of Carlay
Summary: A goodbye on a roof top meant to last them a lifetime, little did they know it would be the end of their time. STARVATION CCCNCC Romulus/Paylor


_**Author's Note: This was written for the STARVATION CCCNCC (a link is on my homepage on my profile) Basically a competition for Au's. SO in this fic theres a noncanon pairing of...Romulus Thread and Paylor. Enjoy :D**_

_**I do not own what you recognize.**_

The two figures sat next to each other on the roof of the factory in District 8. Both of them looked older and wearier than they actually were, neither of them were in their prime by now. Scarred and callused hand clasped the other, smaller hand as the sun began to sink. Fate had thrown them together in some macabre sense of humor. A peacekeeper's son whose father was from this district and barely able to be raised at home in District 2 as a Peacekeeper and the genius daughter of a weaver who grew to be the one of the best people at keeping inventory of the threads and fabrics in the District.

He swallowed hard as waited for her speak after he broke the news that would tear them apart.

"Romulus, you can't go," she told him without looking at him, but he felt the grip on his hand. "We need you here."

"I don't have a choice, Kelima." He ignored her scowl at him using her first name, she hated it. "I was told that because I did such a great job here as Head Peacekeeper, they want me moved to District 12."

"Tell them no."

It was a simple, he could understand that. It was simple for Romulus to tell people no, he did it all the time. No, there were no missing uniforms in production. No, the inventory was not tampered with. No, there wasn't any suspicious behavior. No, he wasn't doing everything in his power to cover up the beginning of a rebellion that the woman he loved was charge of here in District 8. "It's not that easy to tell these people no."

"You tell them 'no' all the time."

"About you!" he finally cracked. "I hide everything you do. That's all I tell them no about."

"What's the difference?" she demanded, her voice twice the commander's as his own.

"Why can't you just call off this little complaint committee of yours and I wouldn't have to tell these people no all the time?" Romulus Thread jumped to his feet and his hand fell to his belt where he kept the whip he used for his work.

The woman reacted just as quickly. She glared at him, straight in the eye and jabbed him in the chest with a bony finger. "Use it on me. Go ahead. Will that make you happy? I can't stop this 'little complaint committee' like you want me to. You're just as big a part of it as the rest of it, you know, you think you're still the perfect peacekeeper, but you're not, you're just-"

"I know! But I have to be now!" He gripped his hair with both hands. "That's why they're doing this to me! Don't you see, I have no choice!"

"Why not?"

"Because of you, Kelima Paylor. You! They suspect you! They think you're up to something, even though I can't bring them proof. It's either I leave and you stop, or you're going to have an 'accident' somewhere." Romulus grabbed her shoulders and pressed his lips to hers quickly. "I can't lose you."

Kelima Paylor was speechless. Romulus Thread was the only one ever to call her by anything other than her last name, other than her parents of course. He was the only one who could drive her to scream and rant and rave. She had come close to doing that this time, but she just couldn't.

"Romulus…"

"You can't stop what you're doing. It's the right thing. I just have to pull their attention away from you. When the rebellion starts here, I'll come back to you. I promise."

She nodded her head, still trying to wrap her mind around all this. "You have to prove to them that you're a good peacekeeper, the best. Don't let anyone question your loyalties, Romulus. You were raised by the beasts of the Capitol, you have to act like them so they don't suspect you of anything."

Romulus smiled weakly. "I won't give them a moment to doubt me. You have to be ready though. The moment that opportunity comes, you had better take it. I have to leave tonight. So keep your eyes open and get the word out fast about being more careful. They'll bring someone fresh out of District 2 to try and handle you, take care of yourself."

He started to step away but stopped as she called him.

"Hey, Thread," she called out, smiling at their old joke.

"What do you want Paylor?" He already knew though and swung her up in his arms.

"Be careful. I love you, you know?" she told him while he placed her back on the roof.

"Yeah, I know." He kissed her softly. "I love you too."


End file.
